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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Crane and Tower Operators

Part of Architecture & Construction, in the Construction pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 53-7021.00

What the work is

Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.

On a typical day

  • Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities to prevent overload.
  • Move levers, depress foot pedals, or turn dials to operate cranes, cherry pickers, electromagnets, or other moving equipment for lifting, moving, or placing loads.
  • Inspect cables or grappling devices for wear and install or replace cables, as needed.
  • Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, or grappling devices, making repairs, as necessary.
  • Inspect and adjust crane mechanisms or lifting accessories to prevent malfunctions or damage.
  • Direct helpers engaged in placing blocking or outrigging under cranes.

What it pays

$68,200
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $44,190
Experienced workers reach $93,200
  1. $44k10th
  2. $58k25th
  3. $68kMedian
  4. $77k75th
  5. $93k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $44,190, 25th $57,630, Median $68,200, 75th $77,160, 90th $93,200

About 270 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+10.6%

employment change in the Alamo region, 311 to 344 jobs · U.S. +3%

31

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 3,800

311

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 42,300

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Experience: Less than 5 years · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Operation and Control3.5
  2. Operations Monitoring3.3
  3. Critical Thinking3.0
  4. Active Listening3.0
  5. Monitoring3.0
  6. Reading Comprehension3.0
  7. Speaking2.9
  8. Time Management2.9

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less39%
  2. Certificate61%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

No Alamo program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

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    Zone 31 Alamo program Bright outlook

    $62kSan Antonio median